Earlier this week I asked a group of complete strangers to change the subject they were talking about. Even though they were not being offensive in any way, and had not met me before they understood why I asked this and happily complied. Why?

Did you suggest changing subject of conversation because: it was offending? it was private? it was somehow inapropriate? they were not right in what they said? someone was near who shouldn't hear the conversation?

Did you suggest changing subject of conversation because: it was offending? no it was private? no it was somehow inapropriate? noish they were not right in what they said? no someone was near who shouldn't hear the conversation? yes

The comments on the exam were positive? negative? Could the conversation put the group into trouble if heard by the one who shouldn't hear it? The one who shouldn't hear it: a dean? a teacher? other students? Shouldn't hear it because: comments were offensive? comments were injust, unfair? comments could give anybody unfair advantage on this exam in future? You said before that the group hadn't met you before, yet you were involved in the same event... You were involved in the event in the way you didn't meet the group? For example you prepared exam questions/tasks but weren't present during the exam?

The comments on the exam were positive? irrel negative? irrel Could the conversation put the group into trouble if heard by the one who shouldn't hear it? noThe one who shouldn't hear it: a dean? no a teacher? no other students? yopeShouldn't hear it because: comments were offensive? no comments were injust, unfair? no comments could give anybody unfair advantage on this exam in future? yesishYou said before that the group hadn't met you before, yet you were involved in the same event... You were involved in the event in the way you didn't meet the group? yes For example you prepared exam questions/tasks but weren't present during the exam? not this

Is the exam conducted in groups? So that several people have already had the exam, while other people are still waiting for it? And the conversation could reveal the exam questions to the latter group?

Were you proctoring the exam? I'm not familiar with that term but expect it means what I would call 'invigilating' - which is correct i.e it was my job to be in the room to make sure correct procedures were followed Writing it? no Grading it? no Were they discussing questions on it? yes Planning to cheat on it? no

Is the exam conducted in groups? yes So that several people have already had the exam, yes while other people are still waiting for it? no And the conversation could reveal the exam questions to the latter group? yes - but slight FA

Did this situation happen during the exam? For example few people finished earlier and started discussing questions in the exam hall? So you had to ask them to stop, because it was against the exam procedures?

Did this situation happen during the exam? yope For example few people finished earlier and started discussing questions in the exam hall? no So you had to ask them to stop, because it was against the exam procedures? no

When exactly it happened in relation to the exam: before? after? after one question series before another? after testing one group of students before testing another group? during a pause in the exam? You suggested changing topic because: you were supposed to do so? it was your job to do so? it was just your free will? you wanted to avoid the details of exam going to public?

When exactly it happened in relation to the exam: before? no after? yope after one question series before another? mmm.. yope? after testing one group of students before testing another group? yope during a pause in the exam?yesish...You suggested changing topic because: you were supposed to do so? probably it was your job to do so? probably it was just your free will? this as well you wanted to avoid the details of exam going to public? not to the public as such..

sorry - these are difficult to answer because of the exact timing of the conversation. It would be very useful to find out where this took place..

We established already that it happened at the medical school. Exact place at school is relevant? Exam hall? Lecture hall? Corridor? Teacher's cabinet? Bathroom? Laboratory of some kind? If the latter - was it a practical exam then? But it was constant conversation, wasn't it? It wasn't like one part now, another part then...

We established already that it happened at the medical school. yes Exact place at school is relevant? yes Exam hall? Lecture hall? Corridor? Teacher's cabinet? Bathroom? this Laboratory of some kind? If the latter - was it a practical exam then? But it was constant conversation, wasn't it? yes It wasn't like one part now, another part then... no - I meant that the exact timing in relationship to the exam is important

I've no idea what else to ask... Especially this timing is challenging, I thought I tried every possibility...Could their conversation in these circumstances be considered illegal? immoral? dishonest? Is the case something that happens commonly in connection with exams? Which parts of my previous try are exactly true? 1)a few people? 2)during the exam? 3)commented on questions? 4)sharing answers?

I've no idea what else to ask... Especially this timing is challenging, I thought I tried every possibility... you're doing very well!

Could their conversation in these circumstances be considered illegal? no immoral? no dishonest? no - they were doing nothing wrong which is why it at first seemed odd I was asking them to change the subjectIs the case something that happens commonly in connection with exams? it could do..probably not common thoughWhich parts of my previous try are exactly true? 1)a few people? there were a few people who were talking in the bathroom. But they didn't go there during their exam..2)during the exam? this3)commented on questions? yes4)sharing answers? yes

it has already been ascertained that there were the talkers, and there was someone who should not hear what they said. Some of the answers are difficult because it depends who you are asking about..

The people talking in the bathroom weren't having exam at the moment, right? Another people entered the bathroom and could therefore hear the conversation about the exam, right? Those who entered were those who should't hear the conversation, correct? They shouldn't hear the conversation because they were having the exam at the moment or were just before the exam?

The people talking in the bathroom weren't having exam at the moment, right? correctAnother people entered the bathroom and could therefore hear the conversation about the exam, right? yesThose who entered were those who should't hear the conversation, correct? yesThey shouldn't hear the conversation because they were having the exam at the moment yes or were just before the exam? no

Ok, so there were people in the bathroom talking about recent exam, when another people went into the bathroom. Those another people were having the same exam at the moment and you knew it, as you were also involved in the exam. So you asked the people in the bathroom (the first group) to change the subject of the conversation. They understood you and complied. Correct? What else is to be found out?

Ok, so there were people in the bathroom talking about recent exam, when another people went into the bathroom. Those another people were having the same exam at the moment and you knew it, as you were also involved in the exam. So you asked the people in the bathroom (the first group) to change the subject of the conversation. They understood you and complied. Correct? What else is to be found out? that's pretty much it - and I can $poil - but you might just want to add why I was there as I was in charge of an exam at the time..

Did you need to use the bathroom? no Were you looking? no Were you supervising a person to the bathroom? yes To make sure they didn't cheat? yes

SPOILER I was invigilating an exam which was being held in several rooms at the same time, but my group had extra time allocated to them (presumably for dyslexia or other conditions). When I accompanied one student to the toilet I realised that the 'normal' students taking the exam had recently finished and a few were starting to chat about it in the bathroom. I knew my student could overhear, and I didn't want her to be put in a difficult position - so I asked them to change the subject. they then realised I was an invigilator and that I was watching over a student still during her exam - so they happily complied

Thanks for playing. I shall go back to lurking now - it'll take me another two years to think up the next one!